The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing
Vol. 41 No. 2 February 2010
By Terri Rebmann, PhD, RN, CIC; Lisa Buettner Mohr, MPH, CHES
BACKGROUND
Nurses are integral to bioterrorism preparedness, but nurses’ bioterrorism preparedness knowledge has not been evaluated well.
METHODS
Missouri Nurses Association members (1,528) were studied in the summer of 2006 to assess their bioterrorism knowledge and the perceived benefits of education as well as barriers to education.
RESULTS
The response rate was 31%. Most respondents (60%, n = 284) received no bioterrorism education. Nurses who were nurse practitioners (t = -2.42, p < .05), were male(t = -2.99, p < .01), or were on a planning committee (t = -1.96, p = .05) had received more education than other nurses. The most commonly cited barrier to education (46.6%, n = 221) was not knowing where to obtain training. One third of respondents (31.2%) reported no interest in receiving bioterrorism education in the future. Nurses’ average score on the knowledge test was 73%. The most commonly missed questions pertained to infection control and decontamination procedures.
CONCLUSION
Bioterrorism preparedness training should be offered through continuing education and nursing school curricula.
J Contin Educ Nurs 2010;41(2):67-76.
AUTHORS
Dr. Rebmann is Associate Director for Curricular Affairs, Institute for Biosecurity, and Assistant Professor, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health; and Ms. Mohr is Research Assistant and Data Analyst, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.
Supported in part by American Nurses Foundation grant 300286.
The authors thank the members of the Missouri Nurses Association for their participation in this study.
Address correspondence to Terri Rebmann, PhD, RN, CIC, Assistant Professor, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health, Saint Louis University, School of Public Health, 3545 Lafayette Avenue, Suite 361, St. Louis, MO 63104.
doi:10.3928/00220124-20100126-04
